Crafting in Dungeons & Dragons has always been a bit of a loose system, often left to Dungeon Masters to homebrew or interpret. While the core rules provided some guidance, they lacked structure and consistency. With the 2024 Player’s Handbook, the process is getting a massive overhaul, making crafting more intuitive, rewarding, and balanced. Whether you want to forge your own weapons, brew potions, or craft powerful magic items, this guide covers everything you need to know about crafting in D&D 5e. These new rules will allow players to truly invest in their characters’ craftsmanship and create unique gear that enhances their playstyle.
New Crafting Rules in 2024
The upcoming Player’s Handbook refines the crafting process, making it simpler and more rewarding. Simple Weapons and items can be crafted with ease. However, crafting requires some key elements in order to fully work. Tools have specific functions Tools now have a Utilize Action, defining their crafting and in-game uses. Each tool is also tied to a specific ability score, meaning proficiency bonuses apply when using the right tool for the job. For example, Alchemist’s Supplies can be used to craft potions, but they can also help finding out what poison an enemy used with an Intelligence check. Here is a full table of the associated Ability Score, the related tool, and what profession they are related to:
Profession | Related Tool | Related Ability Score |
Alchemy | Alchemist’s Supplies | Wisdom or Intelligence |
Blacksmithing | Blacksmith’s Tools | Strength |
Cooking | Cook’s Utensils | Wisdom |
Enchanting | Arcana | Intelligence |
Engineering | Carpenter’s Tools | Intelligence |
Jewelcrafting | Jeweler’s Tools | Dexterity |
Leatherworking | Leatherworker’s Tools | Dexterity |
Poisoncraft | Poisoner’s Kit | Wisdom or Intelligence |
Runecarving | Varies | Wisdom or Intelligence |
Scrollscribing | Caligrapher’s Supplies | Intelligence |
Tinkering | Tinker’s Tools | Intelligence |
Wandwhittling | Woodcarver’s Tools | Dexterity |
Woodcarving | Woodcarver’s Tools | Dexterity |
Different Costs per day for crafting an item
Non Magical items now require materials worth half the purchase cost, and crafting progress is measured in gold pieces per day. So adventurers will need to collect material worth half the cost of purchasing it. These costs will get rounded down. For example, Alchemist’s Fire, which costs 50 GP, requires 25 GP in materials. As non magical items take 10 GP per day your Alchemist’s Fire will take 2.5 days to finish.
Every Tool has a price and function list The 2024 Player’s Handbook includes an adventurer gear table. This includes the price and the use of an item. It also includes the ability score to successfully create an item. Further down you will find an example table of ability scores, checks, and prices of valuable gear. At the end the DM has to decide which values they want to use. Weapons, armor, and utility gear can now be crafted with specific tools. Smith’s Tools allow for crafting metal melee weapons, medium and heavy armor, and ammunition. Leatherworker’s Tools are used for light armor and leather goods, while Weaver’s Tools are used for crafting rope, nets, and even tents.
The 2024 Player’s Handbook provides a full list of tools and what you can use them for.
New ways to craft
A new Crafter Feat grants proficiency with three different Artisan’s tools, allowing players to create useful items like torches, nets, and grappling hooks. Battle Master Fighters now gain Student of War, which grants proficiency with artisan’s tools.
Adding more value to your gear
Crafting something normal is cool. But you know, what’s even better? Crafting visually astonishing items. Yes, even these are covered in the new crafting system. You can now create something of more value. For example, you can add jewels or golden ornaments to your armor plate. This adds more value to a standard item, which also enhances the resale price. However, crafting valuable gear raises the DC and/or the crafting time. Of course the materials do have their own costs. Here are example breakpoints of more expensive mundane items.
Name | Materials | Checks | DC | Price |
Simple Item | 1 sp | 1 | DC 8 | 2 sp |
Complicated Item | 1 sp | 2 | DC 15 | 36 gp |
Difficult Item | 1 sp | 8 | DC 15 | 150 gp |
Fancy Item | 100 gp | 8 | DC 15 | 250 gp |
Lavish Item | 250 gp | 7 | DC 15 | 500 gp |
Masterwork Item | 1 gp | 5 | DC 20 | 1000 gp |
Crafting Magic Items
So far we spoke about crafting non magical items. These rules are straightforward. However, crafting magical items is a different story. You can craft spell scrolls, healing potions, or almost any other magical item in the new crafting system. With the new Bastion system adventurers are able to build and fine tune new crateions. This system for crafting magical items was introduced in the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide.
Any character who wants to craft magic items in Dungeons and Dragons 5e has to meet specific criteria:
Arcana Skill
This is the obvious one. Whoever wants to craft a magical item has to know something about magic. In Dungeons and Dragons this is represented by the Arcana skill. Anyone who is proficient in Arcana technically can craft magical items.
Tool Proficiency
We already spoke about this above. In order to craft a magical item you must be able to use the tool you want to create this item with. For example, if you want to create a magical metal armor plate you must be proficient in Smith’s Tools. Here is a complete list of the item and their respective required tool.
Item Category | Required Tool |
Armor | Leatherworker’s Tools, Smith’s Tools, or Weaver’s Tools depending on the kind of armor as noted in the tools’ description |
Potion | Alchemist’s Supplies or Herbalism Kit |
Ring | Jeweler’s Tools |
Rod | Woodcarver’s Tools |
Scroll | Calligrapher’s Supplies |
Staff | Woodcarver’s Tools |
Wand | Woodcarver’s Tools |
Weapon | Leatherworker’s Tools, Smith’s Tools, or Woodcarver’s Tools depending on the kind of weapon as noted in the tools’ description |
Wondrous Item | Tinker’s Tools or the tool required to make the nonmagical item on which the magic is based |
Spell Knowledge
If you want to use a magic item to cast a spell, then your character has to know that spell. So it is safe to say that your range of craftable items will scale along spell list.
Time and Gold
Just like non magical items, crafting magical items takes time and gold. It is the DMs decision how much gold and how much time it takes to create an item like an Amulet of Health. Here is a default pricing table for magical items based on their rarity.
Rarity | Consumable Price | Price |
Common | 25 - 50 gp | 50 - 100 gp |
Uncommon | 50 - 250 gp | 101 - 500 gp |
Rare | 250 - 2,500 gp | 501 - 5,000 gp |
Very Rare | 2,500 - 25,000 gp | 5,001 - 50,000 gp |
Legendary | 25,000 + gp | 50,000 + gp |
Availability of materials
Just like in reality some materials are hard to get your hands on. It is therefore the DMs decision if and how many units of a certain material are available in your campaign. Just remember where you are in a campaign. It is highly unlikely to find a rare material in a village on top of a mountain. Cities on the other hand, provide a large amount of traders. Even if they don’t have your players' required materials they probably know someone who knows someone. As a DM you can use these circumstances to create a new story path. At the end of this path your adventurers will be rewarded with the required materials.
DMs permission
At the end of the day the DM has to decide what is allowed and what not. Picture this: The magical item Animated Shield plays a huge role in the prepared campaign. One of the players now wants to craft this particular magical item in their free time. The DM is always allowed to say that this item can not be crafted. They also can prevent their players from overloading with magical items and thereby making them too powerful for their level.
Crafting Spell Scrolls
In order to craft spell scrolls, you have to be proficient with the Calligraphers Supplies. You gain this proficiency through the backgrounds Artisan, Acolyte, Sage, or Scribe. Additionally, you will have to pay the crafting costs for the respective spell scroll. For example a level 2 spell costs 100 GP. The Dungeon Master Guide provides a full list of costs. The spell save DC and attack bonus will be used from the crafter of the spell scroll. So whoever uses these spells they will use these stats.
Customizing Magic Items
When crafting magic items, players can personalize their creations. This gives them a personal touch and makes your players truly invested in your campaign.
Naming an item
Adventurers can name their items. As you may know, only the mightiest weapons get their own name. Players can choose their name and intervene with their own background.
Thematic touches
A druid from the frosty mountain forest might want to use a shillelagh made out of wood from their home forest. In the new crafting system they are free to do so.
Minor Properties
At the DMs discretion players can make aesthetic changes to their crafted item. This also includes functional bonuses. Think of a sword that shines blue when orcs are nearby. Your weapon can do something similar if your DM allows it.
Quirks
Also this is at the DMs discretion. You can give your crafted items an unique thematic element. For example, a shield that plays a sweet sound when blocking an attack.
What can’t Be Crafted?
Some items are too powerful to be made by mortal hands. While most items can be crafted, some are out of reach even for the most skilled craftsman. Artifacts like the Hand of Vecna or the Wand of Orcus cannot be crafted. Additionally, the DM may restrict certain items for balance reasons.
Final Thoughts
Crafting in D&D 5e is getting a major boost, making it more engaging and useful. Whether you’re a blacksmith forging legendary weapons, a potion-brewing alchemist, or a wizard inscribing spell scrolls, these new rules will help you bring your creations to life.
What are you most excited to craft in your next campaign? Let us know in the comments!
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